Orthopedic appliance



RICHARD A. DIADUL, JR., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14, 19.21.

Application filed September 30, 1920. Serial No. 413,702.

To all 'LU/tom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD A. DIADUL, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Orthopedic Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in orthopedic appliances and like devices for correcting deformities of the foot and other parts of the human body, and more particularly to a novel construction for the metallic brace or supporting members thereof.

In the usual'type of corrective appliances, the brace members are'ordinarily articulated or hinged together in order that the parts may yield with the bodily movements, or may be adjusted to the particular deformity or necessary correction therefor. An orthopedic appliance, as its name suggests, is a device for correcting deformities of the human foot, and is preferably designed to be worn beneath the shoe of the wearer, and for this rea-son it is desirable that the parts be constructed with a view of avoiding, so far as possible, projecting or otherwise prominent members which not only produce a cumbersome structure, but cause discomfort to the wearer and attract attention to the presence of the corrective appliance.

Among the objects ofthe present invention is t0 provide a construction for a locking device, associated with the hinged brace members, and utilized in locking said members in one of several adjusted positions. A

preferred form of an appliance to which the invention' is readily applicable is hereinafter more fully described and clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of an orthopedic appliance embodying the novel features of the invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the articulated joint showing thelocking device4 in unlocked position,

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts adjusted in va different position, and locked.

The appliance herein illustrated, and eminafter to be described, a metallic plate or shoe 2 adapted to extend Abeneath and support the arch of the foot. Secured to the plate 2 by meansV of rivets or the like is a leather shoe 3 adapted to be laced about the heel and ankle portions of the foot. Attached to the upper end portion of the vertical brace l are two semi-circular bands 4 4 which carry a leather sleeve or lacing 5 adapted to surround the limb immediately above the ankle. The appliance herein shown is designed for the right foot, the parts being so arranged that the metallic brace is located on the inside of the foot and ankle.

rl`he metallic plate 2 is reinforced by means of a hinge-plate 6 secured to the outside thereof, to which the vertical brace member l is directly connected through the medium of a joint or hinge formed in the following manner:

Pivoted to the upper end of the hingeplate 6 is a hinge-block 7, said plate 6 and block 7 being provided with co-acting portions 6t and 7a respectively, of reduced thickness, and circular conformation, through which a pivoted pin 8 extends. In this manner a joint is formed between the hingeplate 6 and hinge-block 7, permitting the relative movement of the latter in the plane of the vertical brace member, thereby perl mitting the flexing of said brace member y with respect to the relatively fixed plate 2,

ythe latter being provided at its lower end with cylindric formed ears 9 which are spaced apart, and include between them a similarly formed knuckle 10 integral with the hinge-block 7 Extending through the co-acting ears 9 and knuckle l0 is a hinge pin 11, the same extending horizontally and at right angles to the pivoted pin 8, the parts forming the upper joint just described being so arranged as to permit a relative rotative movement between thel hinge-block 7 and the vertical brace l in a right angle to the plane of flexing movement afforded by thel ower joint. In short, a so-called double joint is formed in the brace at a point correspond-- in to the ankle of the foot to be corrected eferring now in detail to the lookin device, the same consists of parts associated with the brace member l, and the hingeblock 7, these parts being constructed and arranged in the following manner:

A locking lever 12 is pivotally mounted at the lower extremity of the vertical brace member 1, and consists of a'fiat metal bar formed to provide a head 12L and a handle 12b. Extending through the center of the head 12u of the locking member is a screw 13 anchored in the brace member 1, and serves as a pivot for the lockingmember. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the locking member l2 extends longitudinally of the brace member 1, and shaped so as to normally lie flatwise against the outer surface thereof when in locked position. The lower end surface of the head 12a of the locking member 12 ter- Ininates in close proximityto the surface of the knuckle 10 of the hinge-block 7, said end being preferably curved or rounded, the center of curvature being the screw 13. Formed on the curved en d surface of the head 12n of the locking member 12 is a series of parallel teeth 14 and upon the opposed surface of the knuckle 10 and extending longitudinally thereof, are formed a series of parallel teeth or ribs 15, forming a toothed sector extending throughout the upwardly facing surface thereof, the number or extent of the teeth 15 being determined by the amount of relative adjustment or flexing of the brace 1.

As clearly shown in Fig. 8, the teeth 15 i areY cut at a slight angle; that is, slightly oblique to the axis of rotation of the locking lever 12, and to the teeth 14, so that when the teeth are engaged by the rotation of the locking lever into vertical position, wedging action is produced which securely locks the members and eliminates any lost motion that mightbe present.

lViththe parts arranged as shown in Fig.

- 1, the vertical brace 1 is securely locked to the hinge-block 7 so that relative movement between these parts is prevented, although free flexing between the brace member 1 and the plate 2 is permitted through the medium of the lower joint or hinge between the hingeplate 6 and hinge-block 7. Assuming now that it is desired to adjust the brace member 1 laterally with respect to the plate 2, the locking lever 12 is rotated forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereby the teeth 14 and 15 are disengaged and the brace member 1 is free to be revolved with respect to the hinge-block 7, and having been ad, justed to the desired position, as, for instance, to the position shown in Fig. 4, the locking lever 12 is again revolved to itsupright position whereupon other teeth come into engagement, and the locking of the parts is effected. Manifestly, the locking is accomplished through the medium ofthe teeth 14 and 15, which engage eachother much in vthe same manner as two threaded members, the slight Obliquity of the threads of the locking lever producing the wedging action heretofore referred to, with the result that the teeth become tightly jammed when the lever is moved into locking position. In order to assure the retention of the locking lever in locking position, however, a sliding sleeve or band 16 is mounted-upon the fvertical brace member 1, and is adapted to be forced downwardly over the handle 12b of the locking lever 12 when the same is in locking position, and similarly to be moved upwardly in order to release the handle when it is desired to rotate the locking lever into unlocking position.

lt is to be observed that the locking lever lies liatwise against the brace, and substantially flush therewith, thus occupying a very small space, and hence neither increases the mass to be. concealed by the shoe of the wearer, nor does it form an awkward projection increasing theunsightliness of the appliance. The use of intermeshing teeth provides a positive locking, and at the same time affords a simple and eflicient lmeans of .accomplishing the desired degree of adjustment. The use of teeth in the nature of screw threads has a distinct advantage not only in the simplicity involved, but also because of. the minute adjustments that may vbe secured. Clearly the number and vpitch of the teeth determines the limits of adjustment, and these may be varied to suit the particular appliance. i

Although l have described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is` to be understood that it may be readily applied to other types of appliances, as well as used in modified form, Vwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.V Therefore I do not wish to be limited except in so far as the invention is more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

l claim as my invention:

1. ln an orthopedic appliance or the like'` the combination of two hinged together members, a locking member pivotally mounted on one of said hinged members, and adapted to be moved into and out of locking engagement with the other hinged member, and means acting to frictionally retain said locking member inlocked position.

2. ln an orthopedic appliance or the like, the combination of two members hinged together, and means for locking said members from relative movement, comprising a lever pivotally mounted on one lof said hinged members, and provided with locking members adapted to lhave locking engagement with complementary locking members on the other of said hinged members.

8. In an orthopedic appliance or the like, the combination of a plate member, a brace member hinged to said plate member, and means for locking said plate and brace members, comprising a locking lever pivoted t0 ca) Y one of said members, said lever and the other member being provided with co-acting locking teeth arranged substantially parallel With the direction of movement of said locking lever.

4. In an orthopedic appliance kor the like, the combination of a plate and brace members pivotally connected together to permit the flexing of the members in one direction, and means for locking the parts in any of several flexed positions, comprising a lever mounted on one of said members, and pro vided with a toothed surface adapted to engage a toothed surface of the other of said members.

5. InV an orthopedic appliance or the like, the combination of a plate and brace members pivotally connected together to permit the flexing of the members in one direction. and means for locking the parts in one of several flexed positions, comprising a lever mounted on one of said members. and provided with locking teeth arranged substantially transverse to the plane of flexing, and adapted to be moved into and out of locking engagement with a series of locking teeth on the other of said members.

`6. In an orthopedic appliance or the like, the combination of two brace members hinged together by means of a pin and knuckle connection, and a lever pivotally mounted on one of said members, said lever and the knuckle of the other hinged member being provided with (zo-acting teeth,

7 In an orthopedic appliance or the like, the combination of two members hinged together, and means for locking said members from relative movement, comprising a lever pivotally mounted on one of said members and provided with a toothed surface, and adapted to engage a toothed surface of the other of said members, the teeth of one surface being oblique to the plane of rotation of said lever.

8. In an orthopedic appliance or the like, the combination of two members hinged together through the medium of a pin and knuckle connection, and means for locking said members from relative movement, comprising a lever pivotally mounted on one of said members and provided with a toothed edge, and adapted to engage a toothed sur face of the knuckle of the other of said members, the teeth of said lever being arranged obliquely to the plane of rotation.

9. In an orthopedic appliance or theI like, the combination of two brace members, a block interposed between said brace members, and having pivotal connection therewith to permit flexing in two directions, and means for locking said brace members from fiexing in one direction, comprising a series of parallel teeth on said block and arranged transversely to the direction of flexing of one of said brace members, and a lever pivoted to said last mentioned brace member, and comprising a toothed surface adapted to be brought into and out of locking engagement with said teeth of the block in the rotative movement of said lever.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of September, A. I).

RICHARD A. DIADUL, Jn. 

